Internal-combustion engine



Nav. 27, 1928.

' R. J. THOMPSON I INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 15; 1927 25 Z Z1 Z9 2 2' fig Z. 12 13 18 20 3 1 16- gvvventox R JTfiarryuom Nov. 27, 1928. I 1,693,186 r R. J. THOMPSON.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jan. l3, 1927 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

UNITED V STATES ROBERT J. THOMPSON, HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed January 13, 1927 Serial No. 160,934.

The present invention relates to rotary valve mechanisms for internal combustion engines of the type disclosed in my apphcation, Serial No. 60,902, filed October 6, 1925.

Oneof' the principal objects is to provide means for more effectively sealing the passageways of the valve shaft against leakage and to insure more effective packing Joints at the intake and exhaust passages of the engine.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1,is a vertical sectional view through an engine illustrating the valve mechanism in elevation,

Figure 2 is a cross'sectional view taken. on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a detail cross sectional view on an enlarged scale through the valve,

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the shaft, showing one of the pockets,

Figure 5 is a view in elevation showing the ring expanding means,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the filling blocks and the packing ring mounted thereon,

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the filling blocks detached,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of an expand ing wedge. I

In the embodiment disclosed, an engine block is shown, comprising a cylinder member 9 containing a plurality of piston chambers. 10. Mounted to reciprocate in these chambers are pistons 11. It will be understood that this structure may be of any wellknown or desired type.

On the cylinder member is fixed a head 12, in which is formed a valve chamber 13 extending over and common to. all the piston chambers 10. Thisvvalve chamber 13 is in communicationwith the various piston chambers 10 by means of ports 14, and in the same planes with the said ports. but in opposite sides .of the head block, are formed intake or supply ports 15 and exhaust-permitting ports 16.

A rotary shaft 17 extends through the chamber Band is driven by any suitable means. This shaft is provided with a series of transversely disposed recesses or pockets 18, that are located in the same planes with the ports 14, 15 and 16. In the recesses or pockets 18 .are fitted detachable filler blocks 19 that fill the pockets and have their outer blocks 19 are packing rings 21, preferably of spring material and split. These rings are each secured at an intermediate point, as indicated at 23, to its block, the ring being such'that a continuous portion extends over the passageway 20. The terminal faces .of"

the ring are designated 24, and are convergently disposed, as clearly shown inFigure 6. Between said end faces and slidably engaging the same is a wedge block 25 tapered to fit the space between the end faces24. A bridge piece 26, resting against oneend of the ring and bridging the narrower end of the space has passing through it a headed stem 27 that is threaded into the narrower end of the wedge 25. A coiled spring 28 is interposed between the head of the stem 27 and the bridge piece, and inasmuch as theadjacent end of the wedge is normally spaced from the bridge piece, this spring operates to draw the wedge into the space between the ends of the 1 rings and thus serves to expand said ring.

The portion of the ring covering the passageway 20 is furthermore provided with ports 29 that are in communication with-the passageways 20 of the blocks, and these ports 29 are so disposed that they move into and out of register with the ports 14, 15, and 16 v of the piston chambers, so as to alternately afford communication through the passage ways 20, between the ports 14 and 15 and between the ports 14 and 16 as the shaft rotates.

With this construction, it will be evident that as the shaft 17 is rotated in synchronism with the movements of the pistons, the supply ports 15 will be brought into communication with the ports 14 by the passageways 20and supplies of fuel thus enter the piston chambers 1O in proper order. After the ex'plosions take place the ports 14 will be brought into communication with the exhaust permitting ports 16, and allow the escape of the exhaust gases.

The rings 21 will -fit the valve chamber walls, even though the shaft is not'entirely true and accurate, and the blocks 19 will accommodate themselves to any reasonable change in the ring. They furthermore act as anchors for the rings, and in addition any Moreover this is divided up so that it is at the points where proper resistance .is needed ,to the ,force of the explodin charges. The

securing of a continuous portion of each packing ring over the underlying passage-i,

WayQOmakes a rigid structure of this portion, wh le the expanding wedge serves to insure aproper packing fit of the ring with.

the piston chamber wall. 7 p i From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be ap parentto those skilled in'the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim is: 7

LA rotary valve for internal combustion engines, including .a rotary carrier shaft, :1 split ring surrounding theshaft and having a port for the passageof actuating fluid, and

.means interposed between the ends of the ring for expanding it, sa d means filling the space between said ends irrespective ofthe amount of expansion of the ring created by sald means.

2. A rotary valve for internal combustion engines, including a rotary carrier shaft, a

splitipacking-ring on the shaft, a wedge interposed between the ends of the ring, and yielding means for causing the wedge 'to move in a direction to expand the ring.

v 3. A rotary valve for internal combustion engines, including a rotary carrier shaft, v4:5

split packing ring having spaced'ends pro- .vided with convergently disposed terminal faces, a wedge interposed between said faces, and a spring device connected to the smaller end of the wedge for automatically drawing the wedge between the ends of the ring.

4. rotary valve-for internal combustion "engines, including a rotary carrier-shaft, a

split packing ring having spaced ends provided with convergently disposed terminal faces, a wedgc mterposed between said faces,

a bridge piece across the narrower end of the space between the endsof the ring, a stem projecting from the smaller end of the wedge and through the bridge piece, and

ring;

a spring on the stem bearing against the bridge piece.

5. A rotary valve for internal combustion engines, including a rotary carrier shaft having a fluid passageway, and a ring sur punding the shaft and having a continuous portion covering the passageway and provided with spaced ports that communicate with the passageway, said ring having a split portion at one side of both ports and passageway. 6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with cylinder member having a plurality of piston chambers, of a valve chamber common to the piston chambers and having ports in communication therewith, a rotary shaft having pockets therein alined with the ports, blocks in said pocketshaving passageways, split rings secured to the blocks and embracing the same and the shaft, said rings having continuous portions cover ing the passageways and provided with ports that move into and out of communication with the piston chamber ports, saidvalve chamber also having intake and exhaust permitting ports with which the ring portscommunicate, wedges between the ends of the rings for expanding them against the piston chamber walls, and springs acting on the Wedges to cause them to exert expanding pressure on the rings. h

7. A rotary valve for internal combustion engines including a'valve casingehaving a fluid port, a rotary carrier shaft in the casing,'a split. spring ring embracing the shaft and rotatable therewith, said ring having spaced ports opening through its periphery and having communication wih each other within the ring, said ports successively moving into and out of communication with the casing-port. on the'rotation of the shaft and 8. In an internalcombustion engine, the combination with a cylindermembe'r having a piston chamber, and a piston therein, of a valve chamber havinga port in communication with the pistonchamber and a supply port and an exhaust port, a rotary shaft in the valve chamber having apassageway, and'a ring surrounding the shaft and covering the passageway and having ports in spaced relationopening through its periphery and being in communication with said passageway, said ports of the ring being movable to positions to establish communication between the ports of the valve chamher. 7 e

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

. ROBERT- J. THOMPSON. 

